Here's how much taxpayers have paid for Judge Guy Williams' legal woes

South Texas Judge Guy Williams gave a tearful statement after completing rehab to treat his issues with PTSD. Here's the veteran wants people to know.
Mary Ann Cavazos Beckett

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State District Judge Guy Williams hasn't presided over a case in more than a year during his legal issues, which have included three arrests. Meanwhile, he's still being paid for a role that visiting judges have filled.(Photo: Gabe Hernandez/Caller-Times)Buy Photo

It's been just over a year since 148th District Judge Guy Williams has presided over a case.

For months he was suspended from the bench because he was under indictment in a felony road rage case. But even after he was cleared in that case - a jury acquitted him on one count and the other was dismissed - he hasn't returned to the bench.

In May he was arrested on suspicion of public intoxication and resisting arrest.

After that he checked in to an inpatient treatment program called Warriors Heart.

By August he was out and publicly spoke of his years long struggle with PTSD, anxiety, depression and alcoholism.

Now, he's back behind bars accused of a DWI and unlawful carrying of a weapon. He's not eligible for release because he's accused of violating his bail conditions in the May case. Meanwhile, his attorneys are trying to work out an arrangement with the Attorney General's office to get the judge back in a treatment facility.

Lisa Greenberg, one of Williams' defense attorneys, said she's going to pitch the idea of a 60-day treatment program and is working on securing funding through Veterans Affairs.

"You can't punish the PTSD out of somebody, you have to treat it," Greenberg said. "It's mental health. If you don't treat it, it doesn't solve anything. It's two misdemeanors, I mean he can... sit there in jail but he get's out and he's no better off. Nobody's better off."

Guy Williams(Photo: Contributed Photo/Nueces County Jail)

The Purple Heart recipient, who was first elected in 2010, was suspended without pay from the bench following a November 2017 indictment on two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with road rage allegations.

Williams was cleared in that case this year after a jury found him not guilty on one count and prosecutors dismissed a second count. That allowed the suspension to be lifted and freed Williams to return to the bench, which he hasn't done so to date.

Visiting judges have been handling his case load in the meantime.

From November 2017 to October 2018, $67,706.82 was spent in the 148th District Court on visiting judges, according to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Visiting judges have been handling cases only a fraction of the days a full-time sitting judge would likely work.

Of that, more than $20,000 has been spent on visiting judges since he's been permitted to return to the bench.

Will he resign?

Attorney Terry Shamsie, who also represents Williams, maintained the judge shouldn't have to resign and pointed out he's an elected official whose currently facing misdemeanors.

“Why should he?” Shamsie asked. “The second reason is he’s suffering from a disability and you can’t discriminate against anyone with a disability.”

Shamsie also blamed prosecutors for pursuing the felony case that resulted in Williams' initial months long suspension for some of the costs to taxpayers.

Both lawyers took Williams' case pro bono, Greenberg added.

Although Williams was suspended without pay, Williams was still collecting a salary during the duration of the suspension. Kevin Lyons, a spokesman for the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts with the Comptroller's office, said they did not receive notification that his pay should be halted.

Had he not received pay, Williams would have still received back pay after the suspension was lifted, Lyons said.

State district judges like Williams receive an annual salary of $140,000.

Williams also is potentially eligible to receive state retirement benefits but even with credit for his military service and years as a judge he'll still be a few months shy of meeting those requirements, Shamsie said.

Williams, a Republican, did not seek re-election. Democrat Carlos Valdez, who beat Republican Bill Kelly in the November election, will take office in January.